Are Those Real?

Swimsuit season is almost here…at least it is for those of us in Texas. It is never too early to start thinking about your summer vacation to the beach, spending weekends at the lake or taking the kids poolside. The racks at the department stores are filling up with the latest styles for spring/summer wear and swimsuits. By May most people are ready to shed the bulky sweaters and long pants to get some sun on their lily-white bodies!

So now is the time to start contemplating options in breast augmentation surgery. Many of my breast augmentation patients start the conversation by saying “I just want to look like a woman and feel pretty”. The shape and design of a woman include breasts as standard equipment. Granted they come in different sizes and shapes but it is not unreasonable to desire having pretty breasts.

I have four sisters, so I was privy to the “life’s not fair” complaint and even at a young age I figure out what they were talking about. I heard their chant, “we must, we must, we must increase our bust” as they did some silly exercise designed to make their breasts get larger. FYI…it did not work! You can image that once I became a Plastic Surgeon I went from nerdy little brother to an answer to prayer.

Breast Augmentation Surgery is the second most common cosmetic operation done in the United States. It also has a very high rate of patient satisfaction. The results are immediate (as soon as you wake from surgery) and most women only regret that they waited so long to have it done.

Now that gel implants are available to women over 22 years of age young, thin women with only a little native breast tissue can expect to have more natural breast feel as well as an aesthetically shaped breast.

Saline implants in thin women reveal rippling and do not have as natural a texture as a gel-filled implant. It feels more like a bag of water under the skin…because it is! These become a better option for heavier women with more native breast tissue to start with.

Breast implant surgery lasts from 60-90 minutes and after recovery, you will go home. The downtime is minimal: you can expect 1-2 days of discomfort that is controlled with pain medication and limitations on strenuous activity but then you can resume work or normal activity. I also recommend arm exercises and shoulder shrugs during the immediate post-op period which speeds recovery.

Initially, post-op the breasts are swollen, the implants feel firm and immobile but resolution of these symptoms occurs in around 3 weeks.
Some women are afraid their friends will be able to tell they have had their breasts enlarged. Truthfully, most of my patients have a small fortune invested in padded bras to simulate larger breasts…so really no one notices any change. I cannot overemphasize the sense of confidence and happiness my patients express after breast augmentation. So if anyone asks my patients “are those real”, I tell them to answer “Yes, I have all my own teeth!”
To schedule a consultation please contact Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery Center-Tyler (903) 535-7722